Does reporting help?

Peter Pronovost at Johns Hopkins believes that public accountability powerfully motivates hospitals to get their infection
rates under control. He notes that in many states without public-reporting laws, "only 20 percent of the hospitals are signing
up" for Sebelius' initiative, whereas more hospitals have signed up in states where they face the prospect of public disclosure
of infection rates.

In Pennsylvania, the first state to publicly report hospital infections, the number of infections dropped by almost 8 percent
between 2006 and 2007, the first and second years of reporting.

And in the first two years in New York state, where hospitals started public reporting in 2007, officials are starting to
see measured decreases in surgical–site infection rates in a majority of hospitals, according to Rachel Stricof, director
of the state Department of Health's bureau of health–care–associated infections. "I do believe it is because of reporting,"
she said.